Anxiety, protective behaviors and related factors during the COVID-19 outbreak: A cross-sectional study

Year 2020, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 186 - 192, 12.07.2020

Tacettin Kuru , Pelin Uymaz

https://doi.org/10.30565/medalanya.718083

Cited By: 5

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to determine the anxiety, personal protective behaviors, and related factors in Turkish society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patients and Methods: The sample consisted of 617 volunteer participants aged 18 to 75, living in the community and literate. Research approval, purpose, and questions were delivered to individuals in an online environment using a link and forms were collected by asking the participants to send back the completed questionnaires to the online environment. A COVID-19 data form and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-State) were used to collect the data.

Results: The study evaluated data from the 617 participants: 59.48% (n = 367) of the study participants were female and 40.52% (n = 250) were male. We found increased anxiety levels in the participants, with high levels of anxiety in 30.79% (n = 190). The main personal protective behavior was “washing hands frequently” (84.76%). Personal distance and mask usage rates were low (8.6% and 5.02%, respectively). We found higher anxiety levels in men (p = 0.008), people with chronic diseases (p = 0.003), the elderly (p<0.001) and those with lower education levels (p<0.001). We found higher levels of anxiety in those showing avoidance behaviors.

Conclusions: The results of our study show that psychological consequences should be considered in addition to the physical outcomes of the COVID-19 outbreak and that some subgroups have a higher risk of anxiety. People who require professional support should be identified and psychological support should be planned.

Keywords

Covid-19,, Pandemia,, Anxiete,

COVID-19 Salgını Sırasında Anksiyete, Koruyucu Davranışlar ve İlişkili Faktörler: Kesitsel Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada COVİD-19 pandemisi sırasında Türk toplumunda anksiyete, kişisel koruyucu davranışlar ve ilişkili faktörleri incelemeyi amaçlanmıştır.

Hastalar ve Yöntem: Örneklemimizi 18-75 yaş arası, okur-yazar, çalışmaya gönüllü 617 birey oluşturmuştur. Araştırma onamı, amacı ve sorular soft ortamda bireylere bir link vasıtasıyla ulaştırılmış ve formlar yine soft ortamda cevaplanan anketlerin iletilmesiyle toplanmıştır. Verilerin toplanmasında, araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulan COVİD-19 ile ilgili soruları ve sosyo-demografik verileri içeren form ve Durumluk-Sürekli Kaygı Envanteri (STAI-Durumluk) kullanıldı.

Bulgular: Çalışmada 617 gönülle değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışmaya katılanların %59.48 (367)’i kadın, %40.52 (250)’si erkekti. Katılımcıların % 30.79 (190)‘unda yüksek seviyede kaygı düzeyleri saptanmıştır. Başlıca gerçekleştirilen kişisel koruyucu davranış yüksek oranda elleri sık sık yıkama şeklindedir. (%84.76). İkinci sıklıkta ise insanlarla en az bir metre mesafe koyma davranışıdır. (%8.6). Katılımcıların %5.02 (31)’i maske takmakta, %1.62 (10) kişi ise hiçbir koruyucu önlem almamaktadır. Çalışmada erkeklerde (p=0.008), tanılanmış kronik hastalığı olanlarda (p=0.003), yaşlılarda (p<0.001) ve daha düşük eğitim düzeyi olanlarda (p<0.001) daha yüksek kaygı düzeyleri saptanmıştır. Kişisel koruyucu davranışlardan kaçınıcı davranış yüksek kaygı düzeyi ile ilişkili bulunmuştur. 

Sonuç: Çalışmamızın sonuçları, COVID-19 salgınının fiziksel sonuçlarına ek olarak, psikolojik sonuçların da dikkate alınması gerektiğini göstermektedir. Çalışmamızda bazı alt gruplarda kaygı riski daha yüksek belirlenmiştir. Profesyonel desteğe ihtiyaç duyan insanlar tanımlanmalı ve psikolojik destek planlanmalıdır.

Keywords

COVİD-19, Pandemi,, Anksiete,

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